Safety cap



May 28, 1957 H. LEWIS 2,793,777

SAFETY CAP Filed June 7, 1955 ATTORNEYS SAFETY CAP Harry Lewis, NorthHollywood, Calif.

Application June 7, 1955, Serial No. 513,748

2 Claims. (Cl. 215---9) This invention relates to a cap or closure, andmore particularly to a safety cap for a container such as a bottle.

The object of the invention is to provide a safety cap which isconstructed so that children can not accidentally or readily partake ofthe contents of the containerpas when the container holds poison,medicine or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a safety cap which can bereadily manipulated so as to permit the contents of the container to beremoved therefrom, and whereby the cap can be moved to a closed positionso that a child or the like cannot accidentally remove the contents ofthe container.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safety cap which isextremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and inwhich like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout thesame:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the present inventionmounted on a bottle or container, and with parts of the container brokenaway, and showing the cap in closed position. I

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing the sleeve in openposition so that the body member can be removed from the container.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3' of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional view showing the parts of the safety capdisassembled or separated.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral designates a containerwhich may be a bottle or the like, and the container 10 is provided witha neck 11 of reduced diameter, and the neck 11 is threaded exteriorly.

The present invention is directed to a safety cap which is adapted to bemounted on the neck 11 so that children or the like will be preventedfrom accidentally gaining access to the contents of the container 10 aswhen the container 10 holds medicines, poisons or the like.

The safety cap of the present invention includes a body member 12 whichcan be made of any suitable material such as plastic, and the bodymember 12 includes a cylindrical side wall 14 and an end wall or topwall 15, Figure 2. The side wall 14 is threaded interiorly as at 16 forengagement with the threaded exterior portion of th neck 11.

The cap of the present invention further includes a bushing or sleeve 17which includes a cylindrical side section 18 and a top section 19.

Snugly seated within the body member 12 and abutting the end wall andsecured thereto is a washer 20 which may be made of yieldable material,and the washer 20 is provided with a slot 21 that registers with a slot22 in the end wall 15. The upper surface of the end wall 15 is providedwith a recess 23 which is arranged at right angles with respect to theslot 22, the slots 21 and 22 registering with each other. Depending fromthe top section 19 and secured thereto or formed'integral therewith, isa shank or stem 24 of cylindrical shape, and I secured to the lower endof the shank 24 or formed integral therewith is a transverse rib 25. Therib 25 is adapted to seat in the recess 23 when the parts are in theposition shown in Figure 2. However, by'rotating the bushing 17, the rib25 can be passed through the registering slots 22 and 21 as whenthe'bushing is being moved to the position shown in Figure l. e

Projecting outwardly from the top of the body member 12 and securedthereto or formed integral therewith is an annular flange 26. A disc orring 27 is adapted to be secured to the lower edge of the bushing'17after the bushing has been mounted on the body member 12, and the ring27 is adapted to abut the flange 26 so as to prevent the bushing 17 frombeing pulled all of the way off of the body member 12. The ring 27 canbe secured to the lower end of the bushing 17 in any'suitable manner, asfor example by means of a suitable adhesive 1 3." From the foregoing itis apparent that there has been provided a safety cap which will helpprevent children or the like from harming themselves by gaining accessto contents of containers or bottles such as the container 10 which mayhold poison or medicine therein. In use, when the container is not beingused the parts can be arranged as shown in Figure 1. Then, when it isdesired to remove some of the contents from the container 10, it

is necessary to rotate the bushing 17 so that the rib 25 registers withthe slot 21 and slot 22. Then, the bushing ,17 can be moved upwardlyaway from the body member 12, since the rib 25 will pass through theregistering slots 21 and 22. After the bushing 17 has been moved to itsraised position it can again be rotated slightly so that the rib 25seats in the recess 23 in the top wall 15. With the rib 25 seated in therecess 23 as shown in Figure 2, the bushing 17 will be maintained in itsraised position. Then, the persons fingers can be arranged in engagementwith the side wall 14 of the body member 12 so that the body member 12can be readily rotated to disengage the body member from the container10. Since it is necessary that the bushing 17 be rotated to a particularangular position so that the rib 25 registers with the slots'21 and 22,then it will be extremely diflicult if not impossible for a child toaccomplish this movement, although of course it is to be understood thatan adult can readily figure out the proper position to move the bushing17 so as to permit the fingers to be arranged in engagement with thebody member 12. After the desired quantity of material has been removedfrom the container 10, the body member 12 can be screwed on the neck 11and then the bushing 17 can be returned from the position shown inFigure 2 to the position shown in Figure 1 so that the container isagain safely left in the home, medicine cabinet or the like. With thepresent invention tragedies in the home will be prevented since childrenwill be unable to accidentally swallow medicine or poison or the like.The body member 12 serves to close the container 10, while the bushing17 acts as a safety feature. The yieldable washer 20 insures that therewill be an air or water tight connection between the parts. With thebushing 17 in the position shown in Figure l, the bushing 17 rotatesfreely on the body member 12. The device can be made of any suitablematerial and in any desired shape and size. The container may holdmedicines, insecticides, pills, alcohol, or other material.

I claim:

1. In a safety cap for a container of the type provided with anexteriorly threaded neck, a body member including a cylindrical sidewall provided with interior threads engaging the neck of said container,an end wall extending across the top of said side wali, -there beingregistering rectangular slots in said end wall and in a washer snuglyseated within said body member, there being a recess in the upperportionof said end wall communicating with and arranged at right angles withrespect to the slot in said end Wall, a bushing including a cylindricalside section surrounding the side wallof said body member, ,a topportion extending across thetop of said side section, a cylindricalshank depending .from said top portionand projecting through the slotlinlsaid washer and end wall, and a transverse rib secured .to the lowerend of said shank and projecting beyond the peripheryof said shank, saidrib being mounted for movement into and out of engagement with .saidrecess and whereby by rotating the bushing, the rib can be passedthrough the registering slots.

2. In a safetycap fora container of the type provided with an exteriorlythreaded neck, a body member including a cylindrical side wallprovidedwith interior threads engaging the neck of said container, anuendwallextending across the top of said side wall, there being registeringrectangular slots in said end wall and inta washer snugly seated withinsaid body member, there being a recess in the upper portion of said endwall communieating with and arranged at right angles with respect to theslot in said end wall, a bushing including a cylindrical side sectionsurrounding the side wall of said body memher, a top portion extendingacross the top of said side section, a cylindrical shank depending fromsaid top portion and projecting through the slot in said washer and endwall, and a transverse rib secured to the lower end of said shank andprojecting beyond the periphery of said shank, said rib being of a sizepermitting its passage through said slots and permitting it to fitwithin said recess, said rib being mounted for movement into and out ofengagement with said recess and whereby by rotating the bushing, the ribcan be passed through the registering slots, a disc secured to the lowerend of said bushing for at times abutting a flange extending outwardlyfrom the upper portion of said body member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,381,207 Coleman Aug. 7, 1945 2,597,307 Elkind May 20, 1952 2,710,701Hale June 14, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 459,511 Great Britain Jan. 8, 1937677,311 Great Britain Aug. 13, 1952

